So the story goes
by wickedsistah1024
Summary: Who knew that all it would take to get them together were a bunch of devious schemes from Matsumoto Rangiku? *IchiRuki*


Okay, so I have originally wanted to publish this fic earlier, but since today's my birthday (10-24), I wanted to give everyone a treat. This isn't much, but it's still an IchiRuki fic, and I hope it somehow satisfies your craving for more IchiRuki goodness.

I would like to thank **bleachfan1421 **for the fic **Jealousy**, which I used as a prompt for this fic.

I dearly dedicate it to a few people, namely **Lazy Mew, RaiChia, Iana Sabelle, narquotic, buloy, Yhkamy, sunlightangels, Cherryblossom snow** and **Hachimitsu-sama** (who's been with me since **Following**. Thank you so much!).

I have rewritten this a lot of times, because somehow something wrong seems to always happen to my drafts. I almost gave up in writing this, but the ideas bugged me to no end and I just had to get them out of my system. This might be the last oneshot I'll be doing in quite some time, because I plan to go on hiatus after I finish **Schemes**. And I hope you'll support this fic as much as you have my other fics. :D

Another non-canon fic. I apologize for any OOC-ness and the errors.

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**So the story goes**

wickedsistah1024's 3rd IchiRuki oneshot

Summary: Devious Matsumoto only wanted her newspaper to sell. But along the way, she had successfully managed to make two idiots end up together.

* * *

Seiretei functions normally like most societies in the living world. Issues and information needs to be spread as often and as soon as possible, and hell butterflies were becoming a little too boring fast. In an attempt to deliver information while entertaining, _Seiretei Daily_ was born. The latest news, to the latest gossips, down to the latest trends in the living world — everything is covered by Seiretei Daily's deadliest editor — Matsumoto Rangiku.

For decades, Seiretei Daily had been the primary source of entertainment for the people of Soul Society. Its main staff members are those from the Shinigami Women's Association, though they often get outside help, say for example from Hisagi Shūhei, who through his regular contributions got a column all to himself. Still, most of the work is divided among the SWA members — or at least those who are willing.

You see, being in the SD staff isn't the easiest of tasks. Why? Because SD's favorite targets are mostly the private lives of high-ranked officials — namely, the captains of the Gotei 13. However, it had always been a fruitless endeavor for the SWA members. Not one of the captains of the Gotei 13 was willing to expose their private lives to public scrutiny besides those bits of information that they already know — well, except Kurotsuchi Mayuri who always volunteers his new inventions and developments in researches to be featured in SD, something no one else but himself was interested in. This pushed the SD staff to resort to one of the most effective methods of gaining inside information known to mankind — spying. This method, however, proved to be a really dangerous and afterlife-threatening task.

How so? Well, not only were they going to spy the most powerful individuals in the entirety of Soul Society that were they caught, they'd have to face captain-level zanpakutō added with captain-level kidō (with the exception of Zaraki-taichō, not that the scary captain needs kidō, mind you), but on top of it all, they'd still have to face the captain-level fury of their editor if they fail.

So yeah, being an SD staff member is indeed one arduous task. But it's all worth it in the end, especially when they successfully get a snapshot, no matter how blurry, of Ukitake Jūshirō-taichō and Unohana Retsu-taichō talking together over tea while watching the 4th division koi pond, or of Komamura Saijin-taichō trying to style his fur but accidentally cuts it the wrong way and ends up having to shave it all off, or of Hitsugaya Tōshirō-taichō drinking height supplements from the living world. The bruises and broken limbs were all worth the laughter that rings all throughout Seiretei upon the release of such materials. And the fame that came with such a feat was even more overwhelming.

And who else could have such confidence in her skills and charm and is bold enough to get away with such a thing as taking pictures of captains in private? Why, none other than Matsumoto herself, of course.

However, after those few successful attempts by the SD editor-in-chief, the captains started getting more conscious of their actions, and were obviously more evasive, that no matter how hard the SD staff tried, they just couldn't get anything from these rather private individuals.

Not wanting to let Seiretei Daily fall down to the ground in a heap of ashes — literally — the editor-in-chief's wily mind devised many different schemes to make sure the paper remains selling like hot pancakes off the racks.

Every now and then, they would feature famous movie stars from the living world, place delicious recipes of different dishes, publish good vacation spots, showcase the latest in fashion trends...It was all good, really, since it gained people's interest to some extent. However, it was undeniably no match to the happiness the people in Seiretei get when they read articles about their own leaders.

And Matsumoto refused to just stay put and watch SD go down. The buxom woman works overtime just to think up some new marketing strategy. And when it came to things that involved gaining profit from SD (where do you think does she get all the money to shop with when in the living world?), Matsumoto Rangiku is a genius. Yes, a real genius. That little captain of hers must be rubbing off some of his intelligence on her, because she never runs out of schemes to sell the paper. However, her best scheme was something that didn't need a genius to think of. It ensured that SD copies would be sold as soon as they were printed, at which point Matsumoto lured everyone into getting a daily subscription under the pretense of "_getting a sure copy_". The scheme was so downright simple that Matsumoto berated herself for not coming up with it way before: rumors.

More specifically, rumors regarding the -cough- respectable -cough- captains, and sometimes, even their oblivious lieutenants (Matsumoto's own colleagues!). And whenever the busty blonde ran out of rumors to make for anyone else, she focuses her attention back to her poor, little white-haired captain. Thus, Hitsugaya Tōshirō was the captain with the most number of rumors, err, appearances on SD's front page.

That was, until Kurosaki Ichigo came and claimed a captain's seat.

Yes, the rude, brash, uncouth orange-haired once-ryoka-turned-savior is indeed an official captain now — and is officially the same level as Byakuya, who quietly lets out an indignant huff when being reminded of such a fatal slip in judgement by Yamamoto-sōtaichō.

And yes, in the short amount of time that Ichigo had stayed in Soul Society — three years (he had been in Seiretei right after his high school graduation) — he had successfully snatched the throne from a rather grateful Tōshirō.

_"Kurosaki-taichō saves the day...again!"_

The news about him started from innocent, information-giving articles that made him feel so dignified when he first came to live in Seiretei. Trust Matsumoto to escalate things from there.

_"Kurosaki Ichigo, Seiretei's most eligible bachelor...SINGLE?!"_

There were even times when other people were involved. _"The carrot picks: Kuchiki Rukia or Inoue Orihime?"_

And when he refused to take part in such things, the news got even more out of hand.

_"Kurosaki Ichigo — not interested in women."_

Even simple news was twisted by Matsumoto's devious mind.

_"5th division captain sucks at kidō — what other things does he suck?" _(this led Ichigo to complain about the indignant accusation, to which Rangiku jovially replied that it was a mere typo error — that it was supposed to be "what other things does he suck AT?", to which Ichigo growled, since the article says otherwise, to which Rangiku just smiled and promised never to write something like that again, something Ichigo highly doubted and Rangiku promptly broke within the span of 24 hours, the next issue's headline being _"Kurosaki troops to SD, confirms allegations, demands privacy."_)

These stories were so famous around Soul Society that every single resident was convinced to get a daily subscription just to track their progress.

Ichigo tried earnestly to make the rumors stop, but after several futile attempts, he finally conceded and decided to ignore the paper.

Nothing true came out of it anyway. That was until...

* * *

Rukia awoke from a long and peaceful sleep. She stretched a bit and rubbed her eyes before starting her usual morning routine. She walked towards her shōji door and slid it open to get her copy of Seiretei Daily's latest issue.

She smiled as a picture — yet again — of Ichigo was displayed on the front page. This time, it wasn't much of a rumor (there are RARE occasions when SD serves its main purpose); it was real news, although exaggerated to entertain the readers. And the biggest news was about Ichigo's latest kidō conquest (read: casualty). And unlike the last time, this did not involve forest fires, nor does it involve the sudden springing of a spring out of nowhere on top of a mountain like the first time. No, today's news managed to surpass those tragedies and give Ichigo a new record — the new greatest kidō casualty in the history of Soul Society. The carrot-top just happened to singe Yamamoto-sōtaichō's beard.

The commander general went and watched at the sidelines during his kidō training, hoping to see progress in the orange-haired captain, only to have the few remaining hairs on his body diminish considerably.

Rukia couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at this. She always found stories about Ichigo oddly amusing. Especially those about his kidō lessons. That idiot really has a lot more to learn from his lieutenant and trainer, Hinamori Momo.

Ichigo originally bugged Rukia to take him in as a student in kidō. She could tell it was hard for him to swallow his pride and practically beg her to teach him, but she adamantly refused. His lieutenant was skilled in that field as well, plus it would also be a good time for them to know each other. Rukia had been the one to insist that he learn under Momo, to which he stubbornly refused. He didn't talk to her for days, hurt that his Shinigami mentor and partner flat out denied his request. Rukia just rolled her eyes at his childish behavior.

"It's more convenient that way, baka. You two belong to the same division, while I'm from the 13th. I have duties to carry out, Ichigo, so I can't always be there to teach you and track your progress. Also, you two really need to know each other in order to succeed in running the division smoothly." She had reprimanded him.

And that was when Kurosaki Ichigo, believed to be the strongest man on any world, youngest captain of the Gotei 13 (even beating the child prodigy, Hitsugaya Tōshirō), and epitome of masculinity was forced to succumb to a petite woman — again — to learn kidō.

The start of their relationship was a little bumpy. Ichigo wasn't exactly a friendly person, but he was really polite (to a chosen few, that is, and Momo is lucky to be on his list). It had been awkward for them, with Ichigo being uncomfortable speaking with the peach girl, and with Momo trying to break through his walls. Rukia would come by every now and then to check out on their progress, and to give Ichigo his regular dose of verbal and physical beating. Thanks to Momo's patience and Rukia's constant presence (that somehow made Ichigo act more comfortable around Momo), the carrot-top had finally taken to the peach girl. And now, they were finally good friends. Close ones, in fact.

"RUKIA!"

_Speaking of the devil._ Rukia sighed as she dropped the paper on the low table in one corner of her room to indulge her self-invited guest.

"Rukia!" The carrot-top freely entered the petite woman's sleeping quarters — something she had scolded him about, but he always ignored — and walked towards the raven-haired Shinigami.

"Teach me kidō, Rukia!"

Rukia merely blinked at him in confusion and surprise. "Huh?"

"Haven't you read today's news?" He groaned while pointing at her copy of SD.

"I did, but that doesn't explain why you suddenly want me to teach you kidō again."

Ichigo almost whined. "I feel ashamed of what happened. I can't face Momo now. I feel like a big failure."

Rukia let a small smile grace her face, before hitting him upside the head.

"Ow!"

"Bakamono! You'll BE a big failure if you keep thinking that way. Everyone makes mistakes, Ichigo."

"But not everyone burns that old man's beard!"

"Well yeah, only the most stupid ones do. But still, you have to continue attending your kidō lessons with Hinamori."

"You don't understand, Rukia. I can't possibly face Momo now!"

"Stop being a big baby, Ichigo. Just go and apologize to Hinamori for being the idiot that you are."

"Rukia, you're making it worse." He groaned again.

Rukia couldn't choke back the chuckle that desperately wanted to escape her lips at Ichigo's defeated expression. He really looked ashamed of himself, and certainly was not ready to face Hinamori yet, and possibly anyone else, until he was sure he wouldn't burn Byakuya's precious scarf next. She appreciated how Ichigo wanted to please his lieutenant since she was one, too, and finally agreed to help the poor guy out.

"Fine, but only for today, alright? Tomorrow, you have to apologize to Hinamori for not paying more attention during training."

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"Close your eyes, Ichigo." The carrot-top immediately complied.

The two shinigami were in the forests of Jūnrinan, Rukongai's first district. Ichigo opted to train outside of Seiretei as a precautionary measure in case something goes horribly wrong with his kidō again, while Rukia had insisted to stay as close as possible, in case emergencies arise.

"Imagine your heart, Ichigo. Listen to its steady beating. Picture the calm waters of a cool river. Let that same calmness wash over you."

Really, concentration had never been one of Ichigo's strong points. He had always been impulsive, choosing to act based on pure instinct instead of planning his attacks in advance. However, the peace and calm in his inner world was something he found he awfully liked, and he didn't exactly know how he was suddenly capable of such focus...such concentration. Maybe, Rukia really was a good sensei. Or maybe, it was because he was so used to her presence that despite her usual loudness, he found peace with her around than in her absence.

"Now imagine the calm waters gently and slowly ripple...softly bubbling up. Direct them all to your hands. Focus the rippling into your fingers. Now chant."

"Hadō no sanjuuichi, Shakkahō." A shot of red flame flew out of Ichigo's hand and sped towards the tree that they chose to be the dummy for their training. The tree ended up getting charred and ripped in half, but nothing else in the vicinity was destroyed nor damaged. Amber eyes slowly opened as he stared at the result of his kidō spell.

"I...I did it. I did it! Rukia!"

"Yes, you did, idiot. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Surprisingly...no. I gotta go tell Momo! Let's go!" He grabbed her arm and unceremoniously dragged her to the 5th division.

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"Momo!" The said girl turned around upon hearing her name. "Taichō!"

Ichigo stopped to catch his breath before bowing down. "I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to make you look like a bad mentor in front of the old man."

Momo blinked at him and sent an inquiring gaze to the raven-haired woman who stood behind him. The latter just shrugged and smiled.

"Taichō, you don't have to apologize for anything. It wasn't your fault. Maybe...I am a bad mentor...but let's work on it together, okay?"

Click! Click!  
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**"One more chance, Momo-chan!"**  
photo: Ichigo in a half-bow while looking up at Momo who was smiling at him.

**Kurosaki Ichigo-taichō, after having gone missing for the entire morning yesterday, had been sported to come and see his lieutenant, Hinamori Momo, to apologize for the other day's catastrophic kidō stint. Other than that, could he be asking for anything else? Will Peach and Strawberry finally be together on the same fruit basket?**

Rukia chuckled as she read the latest news on SD. Trust Rangiku to twist everything into something more interesting and...scandalous, just to attract attention. Although, she'd give the buxom woman some credit for actually getting a good shot at the two, considering she herself was present during that particular exchange, yet was nowhere to be seen in the photo.

And what was that about Peach and Strawberry? Now that she thought about it, it was indeed a funny coincidence that both leaders of the 5th division were named after fruits. (She could almost imagine Ichigo glaring at her while explaining the real meaning of his name.) If they have a kid, they'd probably name it Mikan…or Ringo. She frowned slightly at that last thought. Ichigo and Momo _having a kid_? That was just...absurd. Too absurd for her liking that she refused to let that thought cross her mind again.

Although, she knew deep down that those thoughts of absurdity was just her way to cover up something that suddenly bubbled up inside of her after reading the article — jealousy.

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"Oi! Rukia!"

Rukia squinted her yes to see who called out to her. "Renji?"

"Hey! Have you seen today's paper?"

Rukia scowled at the remembrance. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Oh...well, you okay? I mean — "

"Why wouldn't I be, Renji? Today's paper has nothing to do with me," she interjected, rather irritated.

Renji stared at her for a moment. "So...it's okay with you? I mean...aren't you and Ichigo — "

"Me and Ichigo?! I don't see why I should get involved with him, nor with today's headline."

"I see. So, Ichigo and Momo are really an item?"

"How should I know?!" She snapped. "I don't think it concerns me, nor does it concern you, Renji." She walked away, huffing at her childhood friend.

Renji smirked at her retreating form before shun poing towards the SD office.

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"Ugh! What is wrong with me?" Rukia hit her head on her desk as she wondered about the feelings that all of a sudden just boiled up within her. When Ichigo was involved with Inoue in one of those scandalous articles, all she did was laugh.

_"I can't face Momo now. I feel like a big failure."_

She groaned. Or whined. Or both, she couldn't even tell. She stood up and made her way out of her office absentmindedly, dwelling on the fact that she never reacted this way with Inoue because the stupid carrot-top never really showed any sign of reciprocating the buxom girl's feelings.

_"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to make you look like a bad mentor in front of the old man."_

Why was he too eager to please Hinamori? Why was he so embarrassed at committing a mistake in front of her? Rukia almost pulled at her hair as she continued to walk aimlessly around Seiretei. She hated how she suddenly started realizing things she didn't even spare so much as a glance before. The determination in his amber eyes...such fierceness that he doesn't normally show to anyone else...why was he giving Hinamori that look?

_'_Ugh! I must be losing it.'

Without even realizing it, Rukia had made her way to the 5th division. She reached the squad's main gate when she broke out of her reverie, and instinctively turned around to walk away before anyone caught sight of her, when a hushed conversation from the corner of the gate caught her attention. Rukia couldn't resist the urge to eavesdrop — not when she clearly heard Hinamori's voice.

"I seriously think I'm falling for him. I don't even know what to do anymore. Please  
stop spreading those news, Rangiku-san. It's ruining us."

Amethyst orbs widened. _"I'm falling for him...it's ruining us."_ So it was true after all...Hinamori really had feelings for Ichigo. And...and that carrot-top most probably reciprocated it. What was she to do  
now?

A hand suddenly took her by the shoulder and have her a small shake, making Rukia jump in alarm.

"Oi, what are you doing here?" The division's captain — Ichigo — asked.

"Uh...I...uh...well...I was...I... Are you b-busy? There's this special restaurant in Rukongai that you haven't seen yet...and it has some special promo. You in?" She nervously asked, mentally thanking Kiyone and Sentaro's loud rambling earlier for this bit of information.

Ichigo sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I kind of promised Momo I'll treat her out to make up for what I did the other day. She said there's this diner in Jūnrinan she'd like to go to tonight. Hey, maybe we're talking of the some place. Why don't you just come with us?"

Rukia averted her gaze to the ground, trying to hide the hurt that was now clearly reflected by her amethyst orbs at the rejection. "Uh, no. I don't think so. Mine's at Hokuan. Oh, I suddenly remembered, I have an errand to do for Ukitake-taichō, so I guess I'll go ahead. I'll see you some other time, I guess."

The raven-haired woman wasted no time shun poing away from the bewildered carrot-top.

"Taichō?" Momo's voice came from behind.

"Momo? What are you doing there?" Ichigo curiously asked.

"Hello, Ichigo!" Rangiku chirped.

"Rangiku-san?" He raised an inquisitive brow. "Oh, well, you ready Momo? I'm starving. You wanna come, Rangiku-san?"

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Rukia sat up with a sigh, looking dejectedly at the bright morning sky outside her window. She wasn't able to get a good sleep last night, and she mentally blamed that orange-haired idiot for it, though she still refused to admit that his rejection caused all of this.

A plop was heard outside her quarter's door, and her mind registered it as the delivery of that day's issue of SD. She sighed tiredly and got out of her futon to walk towards the door. She lazily slid open the shōji door and what she saw made her heart drop to her stomach.

The picture on the front said was of Ichigo and Momo, sitting side by side, in some small restaurant. However, that wasn't what bugged her. The colored photo vividly showed them sporting the same blush on their cheeks, as they obviously avoided looking at each other.

**Peach and Strawberry, caught in the act! Is the long wait is finally over? Does the truth need not be spoken? Is this the confirmation everyone has been looking forward to? Kurosaki Ichigo-taichō and Hinamori Momo-fukutaichō had been spotted on a date at this romantic restaurant on the border of Jūnrinan...**

And she couldn't read the rest of it. Rukia closed her door, and the paper lay outside her room, unmoved and unopened. She felt her body become just a tad bit heavier that she sagged against the wall and slowly slid down. She didn't even notice the tears that fell on her cheeks as she reached the floor.

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Ichigo heaved a defeated sigh as he read the latest SD issue. He recalled how Matsumoto gave this "out of the blue" remark last night, just before they were served dinner, that made him and Momo blush. She had swiftly pulled out her camera from her shihakushō (he didn't even want to know just how she managed to squeeze it in her tight robes), and took a picture of their red, embarrassed faces. The orange-haired captain had tried to wrestle the camera out of the buxom woman's grasp, but she had cast a binding spell on him and Hinamori and shun poed away before releasing them.

He could already imagine the uproar this will bring throughout Soul Society. He scratched his orange mane as he dropped the paper to the floor of his room. His stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hasn't eaten anything yet since last night (he lost his appetite after Matsumoto's sneaky stint), and briefly recalled Rukia's offer. If only he had gone with her, he wouldn't be this hungry right now. He closed his amber orbs as images of Rukia assaulted his mind.

He saw it last night — the flash of hurt in her amethyst eyes when he said he couldn't come with her. Why would she be hurt, though? He tried to invite her to come with them, didn't he? Was she mad that he chose to come with Momo over her offer? He couldn't help but feel guilty that he made her hurt. No matter how hard she had tried to hide it, he still saw it. And what did he do? Nothing, that's what. He was too famished last night and too hellbent on making it up to Momo for the embarrassment he had caused her to even think of a way to appease the raven-haired woman, and yet he wasn't able to put even a tiny morsel of food into his now growling stomach. He clenched his fists as a plan made its way to his mind. He would make it up to her.

He shun poed out of his sleeping quarters, intent on getting to the 13th as soon as possible.

He soon arrived at the division and found Rukia's lieutenant seat empty. He searched around and found Kiyone and Sentaro doing some errands for their captain. The white -haired man soon came out of his office and was surprised to see his colleague looking lost and confused.

"Ukitake-san, where's Rukia?" Ichigo politely asked. Ukitake-taichō, after all, was one of the very few people on his "must be polite with" list.

"Oh, I haven't seen her today yet. Would you please go and check on her? I'm worried. She didn't look good when I saw her late last night. She even insisted on doing some work for me, but I refused. She looked like she needed some rest."

_"Oh, I suddenly remembered, I have an errand to do for Ukitake-taichō so I guess I'll go ahead. I'll see you some other time, I guess."_

Ichigo frowned and bowed slightly before retreating towards the 13th division's sleeping quarters. He quickly made his way towards Rukia's room and stopped right outside of her door, eyeing the SD paper on the floor. He was somehow relieved, though he couldn't pin point why, to know that it hadn't reached Rukia yet. Or so he thought. He picked it up and put it inside the folds of his shihakushō as he knocked on the door.

"Rukia, you awake?"

He waited for an answer, and when he received none, curiosity and worry got the best of him, so he opened the door and invited himself in. Rukia was still lying on her futon, her blanket covering her whole form from his view. He quietly made his way to her side and knelt down. He reached for the edge of the blanket and tried to tug it down, but was met with resistance.

His permanent scowl deepened. "Rukia?"

A muffled voice — it sounded a bit funny to his ears — replied, "What do you want?"

"It's late in the morning already, why are you still in bed? Ukitake-san is worried." He heard a few sniffles and a weird sound that he couldn't quite place at the moment.

"Tell him I'm sick. Now would you please leave me alone? I'm in no condition to see anyone."

Ichigo felt disappointed and hurt that she didn't want his company. He sighed heavily as he stood up. "Alright, but I'll ask Kiyone to tend to you, if you're sick." He walked towards the door, glancing one last time at the lump under the blanket, before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

He stayed outside for a few more minutes, wondering if it was a wise idea to leave Rukia alone if she was sick, even if she herself wanted him to leave. That was when he heard that weird sound again, and it finally registered in his mind. It was a sob.  
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Ichigo was in really deep thought as he slouched in his captain's seat. Piles of paperwork sat on his desk, and he didn't seem to acknowledge their existence. He was still thinking of a certain petite Shinigami, and why the hell she was crying when he came to check on her.

He had resisted the urge to go into her room again and comfort her while holding her close to him as was physically possible, keeping her safe and warm in his arms. He had wanted to ask her what was wrong, and them kick the shit out of whoever had the guts to make her cry, while he rubbed his hand on her back and kissed the top of her head. But he wasn't able to do any of those. All he did was sigh and search for Kiyone, and then told her to keep an eye on Rukia, hoping that the raven-haired woman would somehow open up to Kiyone, though he badly wanted it to be him who would comfort her.

So now, he was mulling over just why the petite woman was crying. He was in the middle of this intense contemplation when a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

Momo entered the room, holding a few more paperwork for him.

He glanced at her for a moment, then at the paperwork in her hands. He stopped himself from sighing out of frustration at the work he needed to get done, and the puzzle that was Rukia that he needed to solve.

And suddenly, as he looked back at Momo's smiling face, all of the pieces of the puzzle seemed to automatically lock in place. He didn't even bother hide the grin that graced his handsome face.  
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Kiyone quietly made her way out of Rukia's room when the orange-haired captain of the 5th squad appeared for the second time that day at the 13th.

"Kurosaki-taichō!" She bowed deeply and a little too enthusiastically.

"Is Rukia feeling better now?" He inquired.

"Aa. I never allowed her to do any strenuous activity, as you instructed." She proudly announced. "But...she hasn't eaten anything yet." She finished with a dejected sigh.

Ichigo looked at the closed shōji door for a moment. "Kiyone, do you think I could use this division's kitchen and supplies for a while?"

"Of course, taichō! Please feel free to do anything you want!"

With that said, Ichigo left the energetic third seat and journeyed to the kitchen.

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Rukia had been sitting on her futon all day, quietly staring at the sky through the window in her room. She had been contemplating her feelings, trying to decipher the truth behind her façades. She wouldn't dare deny it any longer.

During the past few years that they had known each other, Rukia had tried to suppress her growing feelings for her orange-haired friend. She thought that her continuous denying of it would somehow make it go away. But she was so wrong. Those feelings only grew stronger with time, and now, she couldn't lie to herself any longer.

She loved him.

She had loved him ever since.

She thought that not telling him would save her from getting rejected...from getting hurt. Again, she was wrong. _And now_, she thought wistfully, _it's too late to even admit to him_. He's in love...and it's not with her. She sighed as she tried to accept these newly revealed truths. She should be happy for him, right? She was his best friend, after all, and she should always be behind him in every decision he made, and if he decided to pursue Hinamori, then she would support him all the way. She just hoped she'd stop wallowing in self-pity soon enough to do just that.

A knock on her door scattered thoughts. Without her consent, an orange head poked in. "Rukia?"

"Ichigo."

The door was pushed open further by his arm as his hands were occupied at the moment, carrying a tray with a porcelain bowl and a cup of tea. "I made you soup and tea. You know, so you'll get better."

Just why did he have to be such a sweet heart when she was readying herself to let him go?

He quietly made his way to her side and placed the tray on her lap. "You need to eat so you won't be sick often, idiot. Come on, try it. I learned this recipe from Yuzu." He flashed her a grin.

Rukia looked at the steaming hot soup and tea on her lap, then back at the grinning man beside her. Her heart further swelled with love for this particular man; no matter how rude and stupid he was at times, he really did have a big heart.

Baffled by her silence, Ichigo's mirth changed to full-blown worry as he placed his palm on her forehead and let it slide to her cheek. "You okay?"

Rukia felt her face heat up, and averted her eyes back to the tray. "Uhh, yeah. Thanks." Before her feeble hand could reach for the spoon, Ichigo caught it in his own.

"Let me." A soft smile was on his face.

Now how could she stay upset with him for long? Rukia mentally sighed in defeat.

"By the way, Rukia, I...uhm...need a favor from you." He nervously said.

"What is it?" She felt herself hold her breath.

"I need you to accompany me to the living world tomorrow. You think you can do that, huh?"

"Uhh...sure. What are you going to do there?"

"We." He gently corrected, obviously relieved that she'd come with him. "You'll know tomorrow, so get better soon, okay?"

Hope sprang in Rukia's heart. Maybe...just maybe.  
..

..

..

..  
Rukia woke up the next morning feeling better. To be honest, she felt good. And she was excited for her and Ichigo's trip to the living world together. She had no idea what to expect, and the fact that he was nervous when he asked made her all giddy. She immediately got up and changed to her shihakushō.

Had she been a little less caught up in her thoughts, she would have noticed that no SD delivery stopped by her door step that morning.

Ichigo came barging in moments later, a huge grin on his face. "You ready to go?"

Rukia couldn't help but smile a little as well. "Yeah. I just need to ask Ukitake-taichō for permi — "

"No need. He already knows. Let's go." He walked out of her room and into the hallway of the 13th's sleeping quarters. Rukia followed behind him, and saw a few of her comrades along the way. They all have her a grin and an "ohayō" as she nodded her head in greeting and acknowledgement.

She and Ichigo made their way to the open Senkaimon, where a few Shinigami stood waiting for them to cross. Upon seeing the two, knowing looks were passed between all of them and they flashed the duo, particularly Ichigo, large and warm smiles.

Rukia watched in silent confusion. But for some reason, it made her heart flutter.

Two hell butterflies hovered above Ichigo and Rukia, and that was their cue to cross the gate. Within moments, they were in the living world.

"Let's go get gigai's at geta-bōshi's," Ichigo suggested.

"Gigai? What for? What are we going to do here, Ichigo?"

The carrot-top made no acknowledgement or response to her question. Soon, they found themselves at the Urahara shōten, inside their gigai's which donned living world clothes.

"Tell me what we're going to do, or I won't come with you." Rukia threatened as soon as they stepped out of the shop. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stayed rooted to her spot.

Ichigo sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Well...I need your help."

"Yeah, you have told me as much." Rukia frowned.

Ichigo sighed and averted his gaze to the ground. "I...I'm planning to propose tonight. I need your help to choose a good engagement ring for her."

Rukia felt a noose tighten around her neck tighten.

"W-what?" Ichigo blushed.

"Don't make me say it again, Rukia."

_For her._ For Hinamori. Rukia kept her thoughts to herself. She didn't bother asking him if it was indeed for Hinamori. She didn't even care at the moment if he planned to give it to anyone else. He was proposing. She had indeed lost him.

"Rukia? Hey, you okay? You seem a little pale. Are you still sick? You want to postpone this? We can just go some other — "

"No, no." Rukia interjected hastily. She mentally berated herself for being selfish and not wishing her best friend all the happiness in the world. "I-I'm fine. Let's just go."

They came upon a jewelry store not too far away from Urahara's shōten and entered it. Gold and silver, diamonds, rubies and emeralds, bracelets, necklaces and rings of different lengths, sizes and designs all entered their range of vision. Everything they could ask for was there. The glimmer of the gems and magnificent display of brilliance captured Rukia's attention as her amethyst orbs scanned the displays. Everything was beautiful. And it hurt her all the more to be in that place...to accompany the man she loved to purchase an engagement ring for the woman he loved.

Ichigo walked nearer to a glass display and looked at the varieties of rings in it.

"Rukia, what do you think of this?" He pointed to a large diamond on a gold band. It had different colored gems around the diamond. A little too colorful for Rukia's liking.

"It hurts my eyes," she simply said.

"It does? Then how about...hmm...that one?" He pointed next to a silver band with a heart-shaped ruby in the middle while diamonds sat next to either side of the red gemstone. "Excuse me," he called to the jeweler. "Can I see that one?"

The man behind the displays nodded and opened the glass display to get the ring Ichigo had asked for. "Looks good, huh?" Ichigo asked Rukia.

Rukia looked at the ring. It was beautiful indeed, but not something she would have liked to have. However, she thought that it suited Momo, so she nodded. Suddenly, her hand was yanked upwards. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm trying it on your finger. You have small hands like her, so I figured if it fits you, it'll fit her." He grinned.

This was slowly beginning to be too much for Rukia to handle, but she kept her silence all throughout. Ichigo slipped the ring on her finger and looked at its effect on her hand. "Hmm...it looks good. You think she'll like it?" His amber eyes looked hopeful as he stared at her.

Rukia gave a small smile. "I'm sure she will."

"Then I'll take it." While Ichigo was doing the transactions, Rukia roamed around the store and looked at the other jewelries. And something caught her eyes.

It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was a pure white gold band. In the middle was an amethyst stone, and there were little diamond studs surrounding it all throughout the band. And the ring was small, like it was specially made for her. She felt drawn to it, so she walked towards the display window and stared in awe.

The attendant saw her gawking. "Would you like to try that one?"

Rukia simply nodded. The attendant opened the case and got the ring out. She handed it to the awestruck woman and smiled.

_It fits perfectly,_ Rukia thought. It was so beautiful that she fell in love with it right on the spot. It was the ring she would have liked to be given to her.

"Hey! That's beautiful!" Ichigo remarked as he made his way towards the raven-haired woman. He snatched her hand and looked at the ring. "You have really good taste, Rukia. Hey!" He called out to the man earlier. "I changed my mind. I'll take this one." He waved Rukia's hand in the air to show which ring he'd purchase.

And Rukia was crestfallen. Heartbroken. She bit her trembling lower lip to keep herself from crying. She slowly slid the ring off her finger and stared at it wistfully before returning it to the attendant to be packed.

"Thanks for the help, Rukia." He smiled softly as he made his way back to the jeweler to pay for his purchase.

"You hungry? I'll treat you to lunch." Ichigo offered when Rukia stood beside him. She nodded again, not trusting her voice at the moment.

The two ended up spending the whole day together. Rukia allowed herself the liberty to be with Ichigo one last time before he was officially engaged. The orange-haired man seemed oblivious to her inner ramblings, and looked truly blissful that Rukia didn't have the heart to say no to anything he said. She has never seen Ichigo this happy, and to some extent, she was happy as well.

Darkness soon came, and the two found themselves standing by the lake as the last few rays of the run bade them goodbye.

Rukia glanced at Ichigo. He looked too peaceful and at ease, and truly happy for once. Tears sprang up against her will as she thought of everything they've been through together, and how it all may come to an end right there and then.

"Thanks for everything, Rukia." He quietly said, his eyes still gazing forward.

Her tears flowed freely to her cheeks at what she could only deduce was his goodbye. When he gets engaged, their time together would surely diminish, if not non-existent.

"I know...that after tonight, things will change." He said in the same quiet voice as he lowered his gaze.

The whole area was now consumed in total darkness. Yet, despite the darkness, amethyst met amber with such clarity that they couldn't help but be lost within the other's infinite pools.

And it was this darkness that gave Rukia the courage to do what she did next. She took a step towards the unmoving man, and with all the emotions bubbling up inside her — love, despair, pain — she held on to him tightly, as if she was afraid that he'll be lost to the darkness once she lets go. She let her tears finally fall freely as she clutched on to him with all her might, perhaps, she thought, for the last time.

"Why are you crying, baka?" Rukia could practically see the smile in his voice. It only made her hold him tighter. A hand came and gently rested on her wet cheek, wiping the tears away. "There's no reason to cry, Rukia."

All around them, little lights started to glow. _Fireflies._

"I-I just want you to know...that no matter what, I'll still be your friend. I just want you to know..." Rukia sobbed. "I just want you to know that I'm thankful for everything, Ichigo. I just want you to know that I don't regret meeting you, and that I'll always stay by your side."

Ichigo cupped her cheek and tilted her head to meet her eyes. "And I just want you to know...that I love you, Rukia."

Amethyst eyes widened, but before a word could get past her lips, they were claimed by Ichigo in a sweet, passionate kiss.

"Marry me, Rukia." Ichigo said in between kisses, and Rukia said her yes through her tears.

And before she knew it, the ring that she had wanted to be hers was on her left ring finger.

Click! Click!

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..

..

Matsumoto giggled as she looked at the picture of Ichigo and Rukia kissing. Hinamori soon came and looked at the photos as well.

"So, it was a success, then?" The smaller of the two asked.

"Oh, Momo! You were such a great actress!"

_-a few minutes prior to Rukia's arrival at the 5th-_

_"How are things going, Momo?" Rangiku asked._

_"I don't know. I haven't talked to her yet, and I have no idea what her reaction is. I think I'm not doing a good job — "_

_"Ssh! Momo! I can sense Kuchiki-san's reiatsu coming closer!"_ _Momo's eyes widened as she sensed the same thing._

_"What do we do?"_

_"Oh you know what!" Rangiku grinned slyly. "So, Momo, what do you think?"_

_Momo gulped nervously, before donning her best actress façade. "I seriously think I'm falling for him. I don't even know what to do anymore. Please stop spreading those news, Rangiku-san. It's ruining us."_

_"Oi what are you doing here?" The two women heard Ichigo say._ _Rangiku grinned at Momo. "Great job!"_

_-at the restaurant, Jūnrinan-_

_"So...Ichigo, how are things between you and...?" Rangiku trailed off, her voice teasing. Ichigo just raised a brow, clearly clueless at the insinuation. __Matsumoto sighed. "You know what, I think you and Hinamori should use each other to make Rukia-san and taichō jealous."_

_Ichigo and Momo both blushed beet red. Matsumoto swiftly took out her camera and caught that moment in a picture. The carrot-top jumped from his seat and tried to take the camera away. During the whole struggle, he missed the wink Rangiku sent Momo's way._

Rangiku's best scheme ever? Role-playing.

* * *

Nothing true came out of it anyway. That was until the day that Ichigo had unabashedly admitted and professed his love for Rukia for all of Soul Society to know.

**"It has been years since Rukia and I have met, and I'll admit that it has also been years since I fell for her. I never did something about it, though, knowing we had all the time in the world. However, due to some occurrences, I realized that there's no good in delaying something as inevitable as my confession, and I want all of Soul society to be a witness to my undying love for Rukia..."**

—THE END—

* * *

Here's a trivia for you:

I originally planned the story to be Rangiku making schemes to get her taichou and Momo together, but ends up getting Rukia and Ichigo together. But as I was writing it, I realized that it's just too dificult for me to write anything implying the HitsuHina pairing (I am a loyal HitsuRuki Army member, and that last part where Rangiku teased Momo had been too har for me to write. XD), so I scratched that idea and replaced it with this one. I hope it worked.

Please leave a review!

Otanjoubi omedetou…to me! XD

Thanks for reading! Take care everyone!


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